Summary:

Verdict: Good. A Well researched war film with a great sub text about indo-pak armies.
Box office prospects; for a cinematic experience of reality and a reason, audience must pay homage to this war film.

Review: Pakistan was sliced into two parts to create Bangladesh in 1971. Post war, everybody else resumed routine life except over a 100 Indian army men jailed in Pakistan. In the six long years since their captivity, Indian Soldiers’ numerous attempts to escape had failed. However some stray letters from these POWs have reached home in India Which led to a search mission by their families with the help of the red cross. The Pakistani govt. had been denying that they are holding back any Indian POWs at all, so when the Indian search party reach Pakistan with the red cross officials, Indian POWs from all the Paki prisons were bundled off to a camp away from public camp in a hilly regions. This is where we meet the spirited six--- Major Suraj (manoj Bajpai), Captain Jacob (Ravi Kissen), Lt. Ram( Manav Kaul), Lt Gurtu ( Deepak Dobriyal), Capt. Kabir (Kumud Mishra) and Subedar Ahmed( Chittranjan Giri). They have figured out that none of them are going to be released unless they flee the camp, reach home and rescue the rest. They work out an escape plan very meticulously. And on August 14, the pak Independence Day, during the festivities they break out of the prisoners’ camp. The taut chase and the human sacrifices en route are thrilling as well as touching. Writer Piyush Mishra does a Commendable job by stringing together a tragedy and garnishing it with nuggets of humour. He also makes all the characters of the movie very humane irrespective of their nationality. While Indian soldiers are depicted as valiant and compassionate, the Pak army men are shown to be equally proficient and caring. The camaraderie between the escapees is at times hilarious, most times moving and on the whole enjoyable. The locations are terribly real and so is the music score. Debutant director Amrit Sagar makes a opromising debut. Mention worthy is the departing shot of Ahmed as he revisits his home in his memory before detonating a suicide grenade. And action worthy is the follow up of 54 POWs still languishing in the Pakistani prisons. The casting of the film is just perfect. While Manoj pitches in a spontaneous performance, it is the Manav – Deepak duo that steals the show with their effortless banter. Only if director Amrit had whittled off the last slog and maintained pace uptill the climax, he would have surely won the battle. Timely tax exemption could give the film a deserving fillip.

Stars/Director/Producer:

Director: Amrit Sagar; Writer Piyush Mishra; Producers Sagar Arts; Music Akash Sagar Main Cast: Manoj Bajpai, Ravi Kissen, Deepak Dobriyal, Manav Kaul, Kumud Mishra.